The Hold Steady to Play Rachael Ray's SXSW Party?!

(Photo from last year's Rachael Ray SXSW party by Tyler Grisham)

Last year, TV chef Rachael Ray bugged a whole lot of people out by throwing a party at the annual Austin indie feeding frenzy South by Southwest, and then by booking the Holy Fuck to play it. This forced us to consider the inevitability of Rachael Ray saying or thinking the words "holy fuck," which was weird. But honestly, at least Ray is demonstrably good at something, which is more than Perez Hilton can say, and he still gets to throw SXSW parties.

So we're happy to report that Rachel Ray will be throwing another party at this year's SXSW and that the party will probably include the Hold Steady, the single best band in these United States (Animal Collective schmanimal collective). As MTV reports, the Hold Steady will share the bill with Pitchfork unfavesthe Airborne Toxic Event. The party's tentatively scheduled for March 21, and with a venue and more bands to be announced. All the Hold Steady's publicist would say was "The Hold Steady will be performing at SXSW, but dates and events are not confirmed." However, another source confirmed that both the Hold Steady and the Airborne Toxic Event have indeed been booked.

MTV also reports that Ray's planning a pre-SXSW party at Santos Party House, basically the most painfully cool club in New York, on February 25. Semi-Precious Weapons, the Orion Experience, and the Cringe will all play. (The last of those bands is fronted by Ray's husband John Cusimano.) At this rate, Ray will be booking, like, Burning Star Core shows at the Market Hotel by next year.